Door latch



E. J. WARING Dec. 27, 1927.

DOOR LATCH Filed Sept. 28. 1925 INVENTOR (A 0} 6w PVT/4 W M W M ATTORNEYS tween the follower 21 and its operating face 23. All that the follower has to do is to lift the latches 2, 3, and 4 on to the respective summit slides 27 and then let the momentum of the door push the latches easily over the slides so that they will drop into their notches 26. For this reason the structure is shown as including a notch 28 in the lifting lug 24 which is wider than the notches 2G to admit the roller-follower 21. Since the top catch 5 holds the top latch 4, there is no need for the roller-follower to fit the notch 28 closely.

The lifting lug 24 projects from a plate 29 which is held flat against the wall by suitable fastening means, such as screws 30. There may be a reinforcing piece of hardened metal forming the lifting face 23, secured to the lifting lug 24, as by screws 32, to pro vide a broad bearing on which the rollerfollower 21 will run without wearing it down. The lifting lug 24 need not be hardened but may be of any material suitable for attaching to the wall in the usual man ner. The roller-follower 21 may be provided with a stub-shaft 33 at each end, these shafts turning in looped hangers 34 held by screws or bolts to the extension 20, so that the roller-follower turns on the loops in a notch 35 in the extension 21 with the stub shafts thrusting upwardly against shallow bearings 36 cut in the extension 21, thus permitting the lug 23 to be approxin'iately aligned with the corresponding catch 6. It will be noted, however that the slope of the cam face 23 is materially less steep than the slope of the corresponding faces 25. This is advantageous as minimizing the load on the follower 21, and the longer projection of the lug 24 is unobjectionable at the height of the top latch 4, although a projection of the same length might be very objectionable lower down on the door.

It will be noted that the mechanism is simple and can be made as heavy as desired,

thus enabling the device to be used in con-- nection with heavy fire doors which are released by a fusible link and slammed shut by powerful mechanism or heavy weights.

Having thus described certain embodiments of the invention, what is claimed is 1- 1. In combination, a door, a latch, a catch adapted to receive said latch in retaining position, a latch-lifting member connected to said latch, and a latch-operating device spaced from said catch and adapted to be engaged by said latch-lifting member as the door is being closed and thereby move said latch with respect to said catch into position to be received by said catch.

2. In combination, a door, a latch projecting beyond the edge of the door, a catch adapted to receive said latch in retaining position, a latch-operating arm projecting beyond the edge of the door, means connecting said latch with said latch-operating arm, and an operating lug adapted to be engaged by said arm as said door is being closed and move said arm whereby said latch is moved with respect to said catch into position to be received by said catch.

3. In combination, a door, a latch pivoted to said door, a catch having a notch adapted to receive said catch, a latch-lifting member connected to said latch, and a latch-operating member, said operating member being provided with an inclined face adapted to be engaged by said latch-lifting member and lift the same with respect to said catch as the door moves shut and having a notch into which said latch-lifting member is adapted to move from said inclined face as the door reaches closed position whereby said latch is permitted to drop into the notch of said catch.

4. In combination, a door, a plurality of latches pivoted to said door, a catch for each of said latches, each catch being provided with a notch adapted to receive its respective catch, a latch-lifting arm, means pivotally connecting said arm to said latches, and a latch-operating member, said operating member being provided with an inclined face adapted to be engaged by said arm and lift the same as the door moves shut and having a notch into which said arm is adapted to move from said inclined face as the door reaches closed position whereby said latches are permitted to drop into the notches of their respective catches.

In testimony whereof, I have afiixed my signature to this specification.

EDlVARD JAMES \VARING. 

